Switch



March 14, 1933. R. N ss 1,901,252

' SWITCH Filed April 5, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l /NVEIV r01?fi'anaiskfleginnfss ATTORNEY March 14, 1933. F. R. MEGINNISS SWITCH IFiled A ril 5, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .54 55 69 /Nl/NTOR 57 15 7 5 6 V675 R Mal/717153 L] M A r ran/wry Patented Mar. 14, 1933 PATENT OFFICEFRANCIS R. MEGINNISS, F. ALBANY, NEW YORK SWITCH Application filed April3, 1930. Serial No. 441,365.

My invention relates to electrical switches and particularly to devicesof this character adapted for use in places where inflammable orexplosive fluids are present.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a circuit making andbreaking device which is completely enclosed in a gas proof container sothat all danger of igniting inflammable or explosive gases by sparks orarcs when the mechanism is actuated is eliminated. Another object is toprovide a means for manually or otherwise operating the switch whichwill be positive, and at the same time, wholly independent of the sealedswitch mechanism. A further object is to provide a hermetically sealedswitch andan exposed means for effecting an operation thereof in whichthere is no direct contact between the switch and its operatingmeans. 99I accomplish these and other objects,

which will be apparent as the description proceeds, by enclosing acircuit making and breaking means and an inertia operated actuatingmeans therefor within a sealed container, and by providing a meansexterior of the container for developing potential energy, manually orotherwise, and suddenly releasing. and transmitting this energy to theactuating means as kinetic energy to effect an operation of the switch.

My invention, therefore, includes the novel elements and thecombinations and arrangements thereof described below and illnstrated inthe accompanying drawings, in

which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my switch, partially in section, andin which certain portions are broken away to show the interiorconstruction;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation showing the container and operating-handle intwo positions; 1

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detailed view 2, showing one method. ofattaching the closing element to the switch box;

F 4 is a section of the cover for the terminal box;

Fig. 5 is a section of Fig. 1 in the plane 5-3 5' 5;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section of Fig. 5 in the plane 6-6;.

Fig. 7 isa rear elevation of the circuit making and breaking elementshowingthe inertia operated actuating element in two positions F ig. 8is a'perspective view of the cam and stop plate with a fragmentaryshowing of the elements coacting therewith; and

Fig. 9 is a section of Fig.1 in the plane 99.

' Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a hermetically sealedcontainer within which the circuit making and breaking mechanism isplaced. In Fig. 'lthe front of this container is shown open but it isintended in all cases that the container will be hermetically sealed asis shown in Fig.

3. Here, a suitable cover plate, 2, is secured to the container, 1-, bymeans of screws, 3, and .a gas proof gasket, 4, is interposed betweenthe cover plate and the container. Securedin the rear central portion ofthe container, 1, is a hollow stub shaft, 5. Looselyfitted upon theshaft, 5, so that it may turn freely thereon, is a collar, 6, which isrigidly connected tooperating lever, 7, provided with handle, '8. Thereis also loosely fitted upon the stub shaft, 5, so that it may turnfreely relative thereto, a so cam and stop plate, 9, provided with acentral, hollow boss or hub, 10, which is BX teriorly threaded at 11, toreceive the nut, 12. Fitted over the boss, 10, is the wall plate, 13,provided with" suitable openings, 14 and 15, for thereception of screwsfor securing the plate to the wall or outlet box. Next to the plate, 13,there is fitted over the boss, 10, a fiber disk, 16, provided with theperipheral flange, 17 V The cam plate, 9, the wall plate, 18, and thefiber disk, 16, are secured together in fixed relation by means of thenut, 12, and these elements together with the operating handle, 8, areheld in assembled position upon the stub shaft, as shown in Fig. 1, bymeans of the threaded collar, 18, which is secured in place by means ofthe set screw, 19.

Surrounding the collar, 6, is the helical spring, 20, (see Figs. 1 and5), the end porunless the end portions,

7 spring, 33, (see Fig. 6').

21 and 22, depend somewhat below the axis of the stub shaft, 6, andstraddle a projecting element, 23, secured to the container, 1, and aprojection,24, on lever 7 Referring to Fig. 5' it will be noted that theend portions of the sprin 20, are crossed at 25,, and it is to beunderstood that the spring is so designed that 21 and 22, were held inclosed position by the elements, 23 and 24, the spring would normallytend to uncross itself and straighten out.

1 Referring particularly to Figs. 5, 6 and 8, it will be noted that theback of the container, 1, is provided with two projecting elements, 26and 27, which are symmetrically disposed on either side of the stubshaft, 5, and are designed to coact with the cam-and stop plate, asshown in: Fig. 8. The projection, 26, is merely a stop and together withthe abrupt projections, 28 and 29. on the cam plate, 9, is intended totions of which,

abruptly stop and positively limit the relative movement of'thecontainer, 1, and the cam plate, 9, or any of the elements which areafiixed to the cam plate.

' The element, 27, is a cam follower provided with a roller, 30, whichrides upon the surface of the cam. The roller, 30, is rotatably mountedin the element, 31, which in turn is slidably mountedin the element,

32. In order that the cam follower will positive contact with the.

always be held in surface of the cam, and becausethe cam and thecontainer, 1, are assembled in. fixed spaced relation, it isnecessary toprovide a resilient backing for the cam jfollower. This is provided bymeans of the helical Referring particularly to apparent thatthe camelement is provided with two depressed portions, 3i and'35. Intermediatethese depressed portions is a flat portion, 36, which merges smoothlybut rather abruptly into the depressed portions,

34 and 35, at either end.

Since the stop element, 26, and the cam follower, 27, are

' are approximately 180 degrees apart, it is to be understood that theportions, 28 and 35,'an'd the portions, 29 and 34, respectively,

180 degreesapart. That is, when the cam follower is in depression, 34,stop, 26, abuts against projection, 29, and similarly, when the camfollower. is in depression, 35, thestop, 26, abuts against theprojection, 28. i

Before describing the circuit makingand breaking mechanism it may bewellto describe the operation of the foregoing mechanism. .It is to beunderstoodthat the device is secured to a wall or outlet box, 37,by-screwing the plate, 13, thereto. The rear view of the device when sosecured would Fig.8 a will be I abruptly of the cam plate fixed positionbut the container may be turned on the stub shaft relative thereto. Inoperative position the handle, 8, will normally be either in theposition, 8, or the position, 8, as shown in Fig. 2, and the containerwill also be tilted as shown at 1, or at 1, in Fig. 2. When thecontainer and the plate, 13, are in either of the positions shownin Fig.2, it is to be understood that the cam follower is either in the recess,34:, or in therecess, 35. In either position the operating handle, thecontainer, and tie end portions of the spring, '20, are in the relativeposition shown by the solid lines in Fig. 5. As the operating handle ismoved toward theposition, 8, shown in Fig. 5, the end portion, 22, ofspring, 20, will be held against the projection, 23, on container, 1,butthe end portion, 21, of spring, 20, will be moved to the position, 21by the coaction therewith of the projection, 2d, on the lever, whichmoves to the position, 24;. This movement stresses the spring, 20, anddevelops therein a certain potential force which causes the endportion,'22, of the spring to press strongly againstthe projection, 23,onthe container.' The only thing which prevents the container fromtilting as the handle, 8, is offered to the cam follower in raisingitsel 35. The further the operating handle, 8, is moved from theposition shown in the solid lines the greater the potential energydeveloped in'the spring and finally when the energy, so developed, issufficient to cause theroller, 30, to compress the spring, 33, and rideup out of the depression onto the flat portion, 36, of the cam, thisenergy is transmitted to the container and it tilts and continues toturn until it. is stopped abruptly by the coaction of the stop, 26,withthe projections, be apparent that when the container has stoppedafter this operation it may be abruptly tilted back to the originalposition and the movement abruptly stopped in that position by simplymoving the operating handle in the opposite direction.

I utilize the foregoing apparatus to effect the making or breaking of anelectrical circuit by the means hereinafter described.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1,

7 and 9, 38 represents generally a push but- 28 or 29. It will turned isthe resistance ,9- out of the depression, 3 1, or the depression,

Fig. 9 illustrates the operation of the switch in more or lessdiagrammatic way. The push buttons are connected together by the" bellcranks, 41 and 42,-which are pi'voted at 43. In the position of theparts shown in Fig. 9with button-,40, depressed, the circuit fromcontact, 44, to contact, 45, is broken, but when button, 39, isdepressed aconnection is made between contacts, 44 and 45, by means ofthe movable elements, 46 and 47.

In order to effect the actuation of these push buttons within the sealedcontainer and without any direct contact therewith from the exterior, Iprovide an inertia actuated element of sufiicient mass to effect adepression of the buttons. The operation of this element may beunderstood from the following description. I

The principal mass in the inertia actuated element is the arcuate massof metal, 48, which is pivotally mounted to oscillate over the pushbuttons. The push button switch is secured to a suitable frame, 49, bythe usual lugs, 50 and 51, in the same way that a similar wall switch issecured to its face plate (seeFig. 7 This frame is provided withupstanding portions, 52 and 53, on either side of the plane passingthrough the axis of the push buttons. Centrally se cured to the mass,48, by any suitable means is aninverted U-shaped element representedgenerally by the numeral, 54,the depending portions of which, 55 and 56,extend radically from the arcuate mass, 48, and are rotatablymounted ona pin, 57, passing through the upstanding portions, 52 and 53, of theframe. That is, the mass, 48, may oscillate about the pin, 57 to theposition, 48, shown in Fig. 7.

Within the U-shaped element and secured to the mass, 48, by means of thescrew, 58, and the helical compression spring, 59., is the element, 60,having depending portions, 61 and 62, in contact with the top of thepush buttons, 40 and 39, respectively. The element, 60, is also providedwith depending portions, 63 and 64, adjacent the elements, 56 and 55,respectively, and which are provided with slotted openings, such asshown at 65 in Fig. 9, and which embrace pin, 57. From the foregoing itwill be apparent that as the mass, 48, is oscillated about the pin, 57,as an axis the buttons, 39 and 40, will be alternately depressedandraised so that the circuit will be alternately made and, broken.

The switch mechanism may, of course, be secured within the. container inany suitable way although it is desirable that the pin, 57, about whichthe mass, 48, oscillates be substantially coaxial with the stub shaft,5. In Fig. 7 I have shown the frame. 49, provided with struck inportions, 66 and 67, coacting with the portions, 68and 69,, of element,70, secured to the inside bottom .of the container. Where these coactingelements are sodesigned as to fit rather closely and provided they aresomewhat resilient, the switch mechanism wi h the oscillatinginassassembled thereon may be slid into the container from the rear and beheld therein quite rigidly.

It .is perfectly obvious that the switch mechanism. which is employedmay be adapted to connect or break a plurality of electrical circuits aswell as'a single circuit. In the device illustrated lh-ave'shown twocircuits evidenced. by the .fact that four wires are shown, in Figsaland 2, extending from the switch mechanismthrough the ho]- low shaft to.the exteriorofthe receptacle; After these wires are in place shaft ishermetically sealed by wax,'71, in which the wires are embedded. ,In.order that "connections may be readily. made from the switch I haveprovided the periphery, 17 of the fiber disk, 16, with binding posts,72, 73, 74 and 7 While it is not necessary, it is at least desirablethat those portions of the wires which extend fromthe hollow shaft tothe: binding posts becovered and I have therefore provided the-fiber.cap, 77, shown. in F ig. 4',' which may be securedto the fiber disk bymeans of the screws, 78.

In operation my switch is secured in the wall, 37, or toanoutlet-box bymeans of screwspassing through plate,13, and when so secured, the partsare either in the relative position indicated by the solid ordottedlines in Fig. 2. In either one of these positions the relativepositions of the mass, 48, and the switch mechanism are as shown in Fig.7. That is, one of the push buttons is elevated and the other pushbutton is fully depressedso that the circuit is either made or broken.Assuming, the mass and the switch mechanism to be in the relativeposition shown by the solid lines inFig- 7 and the circuit broken, thecircuit may be made bysud'denly tilting the container, as describedabove, by means of theoperating handle, 8. Inasmuchas the mass and theswitch mechanism are connected through and movable with the container,and the mass, 48, is adapted to oscillate aboutthe axis, 57 which iscoaxial with the axis about which the container is tilted, it will beapparent that after the assembly shown in F ig'. 7 is abruptly rotatedabout the axis, 57 and the rotating movement is abruptly stopped, theinertia'of the mass, 48, will cause it to continue to move in thedirection of the arrow, 76, to the position, 48', thus button,

39, will be depressed and button, 40, raised so that an electricalcircuit will be completed through the switch.

It Will be quite apparent from the foregoing that the circuit makingandbreaking mechanism is entirely enclosed. inthe con tainer, 1. I Thehollow shaft, 5, is hermeticallysealed with wax or other suitablematerial, and the opening inthe back of the the hollow pipe plug, 80,may be provided tive visible indication that the container leaks so thatoil may be added tokeep it full, or the leak repaired.

In the drawings,Ihave illustrated only a so called push button switchwhich is actuated by two exposed buttons. It will be apparent howeverthat a switch of the well known toggle type having substantially thesameinternal construction as a push button switch but actuated by asingle exposed element may be employed. In such a case the mass, 48,obviously may be fixed directly to the exposed operating element.

It is therefore to be understood that the drawings are merelyillustrative, that the words which I have used are words of descriptionrather than of limitation, and that changes within the purviewof theappended claims may be made without departing from the true scope and inits broadest aspects.

What'I claimis- I 1. In a switch of the character described, thecombination with a'sealed container, of

means therein for making or breaking an electrical circuit, a massmounted to'oscillate in said container for actuating the circuit makingor breaking means, a pivotal mounting for said container, and meansexterior of said container for imparting a sud-' denmovement thereto toeffect an oscillation of said mass. Y

2. In a switch of the character described,

the combination with a sealed container, of

electrical circuit, a pivotal mounting for said container, a massmounted to oscillate in said container about an axis below its center ofgravity and coacting with the circuit making and breaking means toefi'ect an actuation thereof, and means exterior of the container forimparting a sudden movement thereto to effect an oscillation of saidmass.

3. In a switch of the character described,

the combination with a sealed container, of

yielding means spirit of my invention means therein for making or'breaking an pivotal mounting to effect an oscillation of said mass.

4. In a device of the character described, I 7

the combination with a tiltable sealed container, of means therein, formaking or breaking'an electrical circuit, inertia operated means withinsaid container actuated by the tilting thereof to effect an actuationofthe first mentioned means, and means yieldingly associated with saidcontainer for suddenly tilting the same.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with atiltably mounted, sealed container, of means therein for making orbreaking an electrical circuit, inertia operated means therein actuatedby tilting the container for effecting an actuation of the firstmentioned means, means exterior of the container fortilting the same,and means for abruptly stopping the tilting movement. 7

6. In a device of the character described, the combination with atiltably 'mounted,

sealed container, of inertiaoperated means therein actuated bytiltingthe container for making or breaking an electrical circuit, fortemporarily restraining and thetllting movement ofsaid container,

, means exterior of the container for developing a tilting forcesuiiicient to relea'sesaid container and to effect the tilting thereof.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination with a sealedcontainer hav ing inertia operated means therein actuated by tilting thecontainer for making or breaking an electrical circuit, a pivotalmounting forsaid container, means for positively lim iting the range ofmovement of said container thereon, yielding means for temporarilyrestraining the tilting movement of said container, andlmeans exteriorof the container for developing a tilting force sufficient to releasesaid container andto effect the tilting thereof. 1 I

8. In a device of the character described, a support, a sealed containermovably '-mounted on said support and enclosing a with separate elementsfor effecting an actuation thereof to make or switch provided break anelectrical circuit, and oscillating means operable by a bodily movementof the container and coacting with said elements to effect an actuatingmovement thereof. 1

9. In a device of the character described, a support, a sealed containermovably mounted on said support and enclosing means for'making andbreaking an electrical circuit, and an oscillating element operable by abodily movement of the container and coacting with said tion thereof. v

10. 'In a deviceof the character described, a support, a sealedcontainer movably mounted on" said support and enclosing a switchprovided with separate elements for means to effect an actuaeffecting anactuation thereof to make or break the circuit, and an oscillatingelement operable by a bodily movement of the container and coactingalternately with said separate elements to effect an actuation of saidswitch.

11. In a switch of the character described, the combination with asupport, a sealed container movably mounted on said support andenclosing means. for making or breaking an electrical circuit and amovable mass for effecting an actuation of the first mentioned means, ofmeans for imparting a bodily movement to the container to efiect aswitch actuating movement of said mass.

12. In a switch of the character described, the combination with asupport, a sealed container movably mounted on said support andenclosing means for making or breaking an electrical circuit and amovable mass for effecting an actuation of said first mentioned means,of a mounting for said container, and means for imparting a sudden butlimited bodily movement to said coir tainer to effect a switch actuatingmovement of said mass by the inertia thereof.

13. In a switch of the character described, the combination with afluid-tight container, of meanstherein for making or breaking anelectrical circuit, movable means exterior of the container for buildingup potential energy, and means for transforming said energy into kineticenergy and transmitting it by a bodily movement of said container tosaid first mentioned means to effect an actuation thereof.

14. In a switch of the character described, a support, a sealedcontainer movably mounted therein, a mass movable relatively to saidcontainer mounted therein, an electric switch mounted within saidcontainer and actuated by said mass, means exterior of the container forbuilding up potential energy, and means for utilizing the potentialenergy so built up for moving said container and thereby actuating saidswitch by the kinetic energy of said mass.

FRANCIS R. MEGINNISS.

